Ink cleaning apparatus for printer

Abstract

An ink cleaning apparatus for a printer, includes an ink suction cover configured to suck loose ink and a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a rotating gear and two pipes connected to the ink suction cover. The rotating gear defines a first receiving hole and a second receiving hole. A first fan and a second fan are mounted in the holes. One pipe connects to the first receiving hole, the other pipe connects to the second receiving hole. The rotating gear rotates to alternatively drive the first fan and the second fan to force air and loose ink in one of the two pipes from the ink suction cover, and drive the other fan to exhaust air with loose ink out of the other pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ink cleaning apparatus for a printer, comprising:
 an ink suction cover configured to suck ink; and 
 a valve assembly comprising a rotating gear and two pipes connected to the ink suction cover, the rotating gear defining a first receiving hole and a second receiving hole, a first fan mounted in the first receiving hole, a second fan mounted in the second receiving hole; one of the two pipes connected to the first receiving hole, and another one of the two pipes connected to the second receiving hole; 
 wherein the rotating gear is configured to rotate to alternatively drive one of the first fan or the second fan to force air with ink into one of the two pipes from the ink suction cover, and drive another one of the first fan and the second fan to exhaust air with ink out of the another one of the two pipes. 
 
     
     
       2. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a motor comprises a driving gear, the rotating gear links to the driving gear, and the motor is configured to rotate the driving gear to further rotate the rotating gear. 
     
     
       3. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a belt is engaged with the driving gear, and the belt is configured to move an injection head. 
     
     
       4. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of two pipes comprises a first pipe and a second pipe, the first pipe comprises a first end and a second end; the first end is inserted in the first receiving hole or the second receiving hole, and sealed with an inner side of the first receiving hole or the second receiving hole that the first end is inserted into; the second end is equipped with a valve, and the second pipe is connected between the first pipe and the ink suction cover. 
     
     
       5. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the valve comprising a sealing piece and a fixing piece, the fixing piece is fixed in the first pipe, the fixing piece defines a hole, a spring is connected between the fixing piece and the sealing piece, and the sealing piece is adapted to slide in the first pipe between a sealed position and a unsealed position. 
     
     
       6. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of indentations are defined in the inner side of the first pipe and adjacent to the sealing piece; at the unsealed position, the sealing piece is aligned to the plurality of indentations; and at the sealed position, the sealing piece is misaligned with the plurality of indentations. 
     
     
       7. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first fan or the second fan is configured to drive air with ink to push the sealing piece to slide from the unsealed position to the sealed position; at the unsealed position, the spring is elastically extended; at the sealed position, the spring is in a nature state; and the spring is adapted to pull the sealing piece to slide from the sealed position to the unsealed position. 
     
     
       8. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a one-way valve is mounted in the second pipe, and the one-way valve is configured to allow air with ink to flow into the second pipe, and to prevent air with ink flowing out of the second pipe. 
     
     
       9. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first fan and the second fan rotate in a same direction. 
     
     
       10. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a partition wall is located between the first receiving hole and the second receiving hole to separate the first receiving hole and the second receiving hole. 
     
     
       11. An ink cleaning apparatus for a printer, comprising:
 an ink suction cover configured to suck ink; and 
 a valve assembly comprising a rotating gear and a pipe connected to the ink suction cover, the rotating gear defining a first receiving hole, a first fan mounted in the first receiving hole, the pipe connected to the first receiving hole and sealed with the first receiving hole; 
 wherein the rotating gear is configured to alternatively rotate in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction to alternatively drive the first fan to force air with ink into the pipe from the ink suction cover or to exhaust air with ink out of the pipe. 
 
     
     
       12. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a motor comprises a driving gear, the rotating gear links to the driving gear, and the motor is configured to rotate the driving gear to further rotate the rotating gear. 
     
     
       13. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a belt is engaged with the driving gear, and the belt is configured to move an injection head. 
     
     
       14. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the pipe comprises a first pipe and a second pipe, the first pipe comprises a first end and a second end; the first end is inserted into the first receiving hole and sealed with an inner side of the first receiving hole; the second end is equipped with a valve, and the second pipe is connected between the first pipe and the ink suction cover. 
     
     
       15. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the valve comprising a sealing piece and a fixing piece, the fixing piece is fixed in the first pipe, the fixing piece defines a hole, a spring is connected between the fixing piece and the sealing piece, and the sealing piece is adapted to slide in the first pipe between a sealed position and a unsealed position. 
     
     
       16. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein an indentation is defined in the inner side of the first pipe and adjacent to the sealing piece; at the unsealed position, the sealing piece is aligned to the indentation; and at the sealed position, the sealing piece is misaligned with the indentation. 
     
     
       17. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first fan is configured to drive air with ink to push the sealing piece to slide from the unsealed position to the sealed position; at the unsealed position, the spring is elastically extended; at the sealed position, the spring is in a nature state; and the spring is adapted to pull the sealing piece to slide from the sealed position to the unsealed position. 
     
     
       18. The ink cleaning apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein a one-way valve is mounted in the second pipe, and the one-way valve is configured to allow air with ink to flow into the second pipe, and to prevent air with ink flowing out of the second pipe.